5 nootropic foods to boost brain function

These foods have the same brain-boosting properties as nootropic supplements. (Photo: marilyn barbone/Shutterstock) There’s a popular category of dietary supplements known as nootropics that claim to boost memory and help with cognitive function. Much of the research on these supplements has been industry funded — meaning the companies that create the supplements pay for the research — and since the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate supplements, you can’t always be sure of what’s in them. But you don’t need to take nootropic supplements to get memory enhancing benefits. Plenty of foods can be considered nootropics, and these same foods have plenty of other health benefits as well. Before you purchase expensive supplements to boost your cognitive abilities, try including these brain-boosting foods into your diet. Eggs Eggs contain a brain-benefiting nutrient called choline. (Photo: Africa Studios/Shutterstock) When researchers followed 2,500 men in Finland for 22 years , they found that men who ate the equivalent of one egg a day during those years performed better in certain cognitive tests than men who ate fewer eggs. Eggs contain a good amount of choline, which the brain converts into acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps brain cells communicate and keeps memories intact. In addition to brain-benefiting choline, whole eggs include calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorous, and vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Turmeric Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which doctors say may improve memory. (Photo: NADKI/Shutterstock) Turmeric contains the compound curcumin, which doctors say could improve memory in those who suffer from mild cases of memory loss. In a 2017 study , researchers gave half the participants curcumin and half a placebo for 18 months. Those who were given curcumin had a 28 percent improvement in memory and attention — plus they showed […]

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